STORRS – On Tuesday October 27, 2009, police arrested three men, John W. Lomax III of Bloomfield, Hakim Muhammad of Bloomfield, and Jamal Todd of Hartford in connection with the death of UConn football player Jasper Howard. STORRS – On Tuesday October 27, 2009, police arrested three men, John W. Lomax III of Bloomfield, Hakim Muhammad of Bloomfield, and Jamal Todd of Hartford in connection with the death of UConn football player Jasper Howard. In this undated photo provided by the University of Connecticut, Jasper Howard is seen. Howard, 20, of Miami, and another student were stabbed during a fight after a fire alarm was pulled during a university sponsored dance at the UConn Student Union just after 12:30 a.m., police said. (AP Photo/University of Connecticut) **NO SALES** less

STORRS – On Tuesday October 27, 2009, police arrested three men, John W. Lomax III of Bloomfield, Hakim Muhammad of Bloomfield, and Jamal Todd of Hartford in connection with the death of UConn football player ... more

Photo: AP

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Robert S. Hudd, center, Chief of Police for the University of Connecticut Police Department, makes an announcement of an arrest in the murder of Connecticut football player Jasper Howard during a news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 in Storrs, Conn. Connecticut Department of Public Safety Commissioner John A. Danaher III, right, looks on. Howard, a starting cornerback on the football team, was stabbed early Oct. 18 outside a university-sanctioned dance, hours after helping his team to a homecoming game win over Louisville.
Police arrested three men, John W. Lomax III of Bloomfield, Hakim Muhammad of Bloomfield, and Jamal Todd of Hartford in connection with the death of UConn football player Jasper Howard. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill) less

Robert S. Hudd, center, Chief of Police for the University of Connecticut Police Department, makes an announcement of an arrest in the murder of Connecticut football player Jasper Howard during a news ... more

Photo: Jessica Hill, AP

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Major Ron Blicher of the Univesity of Connecticut Police Department, speaks during a news conference where they announced an arrest in the murder of Connecticut football player Jasper Howard on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009, in Storrs, Conn. Connecticut Department of Public Safety Commissioner John A. Danaher III, right, looks on. Howard, a starting cornerback on the football team, was stabbed early Oct. 18 outside a university-sanctioned dance, hours after helping his team to a homecoming game win over Louisville.Police arrested three men, John W. Lomax III of Bloomfield, Hakim Muhammad of Bloomfield, and Jamal Todd of Hartford in connection with the death of UConn football player Jasper Howard. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill) less

Major Ron Blicher of the Univesity of Connecticut Police Department, speaks during a news conference where they announced an arrest in the murder of Connecticut football player Jasper Howard on Tuesday, Oct. ... more

Photo: Jessica Hill, AP

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Arrests made in UConn murder

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By Neill Ostrout

STORRS -- Police arrested three men in connection with the death of UConn football player Jasper Howard Tuesday, including one who has been charged with murder.

John W. Lomax III, 21, was charged with murder and conspiracy to commit assault in the first degree. He is being held on $2 million bond and is due to appear in Rockville Superior Court Wednesday.

Lomax is accused of stabbing Howard following a party at the Student Union early on Oct. 18.

Hakim Muhammad, 20, was charged with conspiracy to commit assault in the first degree. He is being held on $750,000 bond and is also due in court Wednesday.

"I'm surprised," Freeman said. "I'm curious to find out what evidence they had to secure an arrest warrant for murder. ... From all the evidence I've heard, he was not involved in the stabbing."

Both state and UConn police announced the arrests in a brief press conference Tuesday on the UConn campus. They did not take questions.

"We've worked nonstop since the night of the stabbing," said UConn Police Chief Robert Hudd, referring to a task force of 40 investigators who police say conducted more than 200 interviews in the case.

Howard's funeral was Monday in his native Miami.

"Yesterday (Monday) his many friends and family paid their last respects to him," said John Danaher III, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety. "Coincidentally, but fittingly, yesterday was also marked by the signing of a warrant for the individual who is charged with this murder."

Matthew Gedansky, the state's attorney in the Tolland Judicial District, worked closely with the task force according to Danaher. Gedansky, who is likely to prosecute the case, had no comment when reached Tuesday afternoon.

Many of Howard's former teammates were glad to hear that police had made an arrest.

"That's news to me, and honestly, I'm thrilled," running back Jordan Todman said. "I would have been very upset if the person who did this was not held responsible and punished and put in jail.

"I'm very happy, trust me. It brings a little closure, but the reality is my teammate's still not here with us," Todman continued. "Now we know the person who did do this is not out there running around on the streets doing what he wants to do, so that makes us feel better. But we'd do anything just to have him back."